Block copolymers are widely used for viscous adhesive compositions, asphalt compositions, paving binder compositions, and the like.
In recent years, hot melt type viscous adhesive compositions have become to be widely used as viscous adhesive compositions from the perspective of reducing environmental contamination and improving the labor environment. Generally, hot melt type viscous adhesive compositions comprise a block copolymer. Examples of such a block copolymer include a block copolymer comprising a vinyl aromatic monomer unit and a conjugated diene monomer unit.
For example, Patent Literatures 1 and 2 describe viscous adhesive compositions that use, as a block copolymer, a tri-block copolymer and a di-block copolymer of styrene and butadiene.
Patent Literature 3 describes a viscous adhesive composition that uses a hydrogenated block copolymer of styrene and butadiene. In the Examples and Comparative Examples of Patent Literature 3, viscous adhesive compositions are described that comprise a hydrogenated block copolymer of styrene and butadiene, a tackifier, and an oil in various blending ratios.
Patent Literature 4 describes a viscous adhesive composition comprising a block copolymer of styrene and butadiene, and a tackifier resin, in which as the block copolymer of styrene and butadiene, a viscous adhesive composition comprising a partially hydrogenated block copolymer and a non-hydrogenated block copolymer in combination; and a viscous adhesive composition comprising a partially hydrogenated block copolymer and a completely hydrogenated block copolymer in combination, are described.
On the other hand, in the technical field of asphalt compositions, modified asphalt compositions which are obtained by adding various block copolymer as a modifying agent to an asphalt composition are widely used in order to impart a performance in accordance with the application of the asphalt composition, such as for road paving, sound-proof sheeting, asphalt roofing, and the like. As the block copolymer used for such a modifying agent, for example, a block copolymer comprising a conjugated diene monomer unit and a vinyl aromatic monomer unit is used.
For example, Patent Literatures 5 to 7 describe a modified asphalt composition comprising a hydrogenated block polymer obtained by copolymerizing a conjugated diene monomer and a vinyl aromatic monomer.
Further, a paving binder composition may be coated on paving of sidewalks, roads, parks, and the like for design reasons, clarification of demarcations, road signage, slip prevention, and the like. Paving binder compositions generally comprise a block copolymer, a tackifier resin, and an oil, and are provided with color by further comprising a colorant, such as a pigment.
For example, Patent Literature 8 describes a color paving binder composition obtained by heating and mixing a non-aromatic heavy mineral oil, a petroleum resin, a thermoplastic elastomer, an ethylene copolymer, and a separation inhibitor of a bipolar type polymer compound.